What to do about a failed install?

[Andy D]

Equip I don't disagree with you or Gino, but on the flip side, we have a guy that has more money than sense and
acts surprised when things go wrong when he's the one that gambled on an unknow decal supplier... If he tried to put it on and it failed,
you can bet he would be raising hell with the supplier.
Dr. Decal you should try and meet this guy at least halfway, but don't spend grocery money on trying to make it right...
Give him $20 a month if you need to.

 

[Gino]

Don't get me wrong. We all have been here once or maybe several times. The core of the problem is how it was handled and how it's being interpreted, now that it went south. There's no fighting or name calling necessary. The OP used a few other examples.

Let's put the shoe on the other foot.

You buy a refrigerator at the store, whether it's new or from the dent place, it's new to you. It gets delivered and someone puts a gouge in your door jamb. Did they not know what they were doing, even if they can't speak English ?? Who pays for that, if the delivery service says, I thought it would fit better.
You buy some bananas at the store and they start rotting for no reason 2 days after you got them. Who replaces them ??
Oh, what about the guy who ran up the escalator and fell at the top and knocked 2 other people over in the process...... who's fault is it ?? Especially if someone got seriously hurt.

With all the cameras in the world today and people filming everything on their phones today, it would be easy to see what really happened and WHO caused it, but that doesn't always work out, due to people making sh!t up.

Any footage of the second instal job on this Mustang ??

 

[Andy D]

You buy a refrigerator at the store, whether it's new or from the dent place, it's new to you. It gets delivered and someone puts a gouge in your door jamb. Did they not know what they were doing, even if they can't speak English ?? Who pays for that, if the delivery service says, I thought it would fit better.

In this situation, if an established company did the damage then they're responsible, but if give some guy on the street $5 to move the fridge in because you were too cheap to pay
the company $30... then it's on you.

 

[Andy D]

I know I'm reading a lot into this, but I know plenty of D-Bags like this guy... He takes up and expensive
hobby to impress people, but wants to do it on the cheap. I bet he already called around to sign shops
and was told it was going to be a hundred plus to install and no guarantee. He knew what was getting into.

 

[equippaint]

As it stands, 2 guys couldn't pass up $50. There is no making this right and was a recipe for problems at the get go. In a normal scenario, the guy should have told the uncle no problem Ill put them on if you bring the beer and the uncle should have shrugged his shoulders when they got screwed up and went on with life.

 

[DougWestwood]

I never install. Anything. For anyone. Never. Wish my boss knew that.

 

[Dr. Decal]

He doesn't seem interested in being paid back, he just wants this decal on the hood of his car.
I don't think another one from that company will go any differently, and I don't have the means to produce it myself. I don't know how to help him. I've never been rude to him or blatantly refused to pay him anything, just don't know how to respond to him at this point.
I tried to trace the design from their website, and match it to my measurements of the car. The image was so low resolution it didn't come out very cleanly, not enough to think it would match his standards. Also the stripes on the side of the car were black, but a different finish than the swatch of matte or gloss avery wrap I had with me. He is offering to buy "paint templates" for me to make the decals from, but I am not familiar with that process at all.
I think what has gotten confused here is that most people on here want me to give him back his money, and think I've told him no. He wants me to replace the decal, he's not worried about the cash...he wants that stripe on his car and I'm not sure how to make that happen. If it was a straight stripe, I would be much more capable, but it flares out to the match contours of a snorkel hood. I know I can't hit it first try, and I'm not in a position to cut it 10 times to get it right.

*I never wet apply anything, that was a last ditch effort to save the graphic, because the guy was over my shoulder quoting the included instructions that said to spray with a mixture of baby shampoo and water.

 

[Dr. Decal]

As it stands, 2 guys couldn't pass up $50. There is no making this right and was a recipe for problems at the get go. In a normal scenario, the guy should have told the uncle no problem Ill put them on if you bring the beer and the uncle should have shrugged his shoulders when they got screwed up and went on with life.

Number A: You're correct. I couldn't pass up $50. The struggle is real, I don't make much money.
Letter B: He's not my uncle. He's my uncle's brother. I had never officially met him before this job.

 

[Billct2]

"He's not my uncle. He's my uncle's brother" ???? doesn't that make him your uncle?
Anyhow, it sounds like you should tell him if he buys a real graphic you will install.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Number A: You're correct. I couldn't pass up $50. The struggle is real, I don't make much money.
Letter B: He's not my uncle. He's my uncle's brother. I had never officially met him before this job.

Can you share a picture as to what this hood and graphic look like? I'm curious but am having trouble understanding what this looks like. Maybe some kind soul on here will mail you a new graphic

 

[Dr. Decal]

This is where it was before trying to pop any bubbles. The line of air bubbles is where I tried spraying it. The vinyl stretched in the back from trying to reposition it. And wouldn’t stay down in the dips after being wet. It had a heavy paper transfer tape on it.

The guys brother married my mom’s sister. That’s why he is my uncle’s brother and not my uncle.

 

[Jay Grooms]

I'm pretty surprised you install wraps and couldn't handle that. Was it super hot out or was the hood really hot?

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

View attachment 141902 This is where it was before trying to pop any bubbles. The line of air bubbles is where I tried spraying it. The vinyl stretched in the back from trying to reposition it. And wouldn’t stay down in the dips after being wet. It had a heavy paper transfer tape on it.

The guys brother married my mom’s sister. That’s why he is my uncle’s brother and not my uncle.

Thanks, it really helps when people provide a visual.

It looks like calendared vinyl from how crisp those wrinkles and bubbles are. Matte is always more difficult. Did you do this as one solid piece or split it in the middle? Don't listen to these fools, that is a difficult install because of the hump in the middle.

Call Graphic Express and tell them what happened and show them pictures, maybe they will discount a replacement.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SP-M310-H-...oiYaiZGbxp-MPU1rw:sc:USPSPriority!75035!US!-1

 

[Andy D]

Is the vinyl still on the hood? If so, why couldn't you put white paper on the hood and trace the shape?
If need be, take it to a printer that does blueprints and let them scan the paper, digitize it and
recut in decent vinyl.

 

[Jay Grooms]

Thanks, it really helps when people provide a visual.

It looks like calendared vinyl from how crisp those wrinkles and bubbles are. Matte is always more difficult. Did you do this as one solid piece or split it in the middle? Don't listen to these fools, that is a difficult install because of the hump in the middle.

Call Graphic Express and tell them what happened and show them pictures, maybe they will discount a replacement.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SP-M310-H-...oiYaiZGbxp-MPU1rw:sc:USPSPriority!75035!US!-1

Who are you calling a fool....

All I said is that I was surprised that this job went south when he wraps cars for a living.

 

[Dr. Decal]

I was pretty suprised myself to be honest. Which is why I incorrectly assumed I could get it on there no matter the vinyl. I wrap cars with wrap vinyl however, and this stuff was definitely not wrap vinyl. Anywhere it touched the car, it was stuck, no squeegeeing air from under it, no pulling it back up without stretching, and once I tried spraying it...I knew there was no saving it.

 

[Jay Grooms]

Well we all have a job go south on us once in a while.....

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I was pretty suprised myself to be honest. Which is why I incorrectly assumed I could get it on there no matter the vinyl. I wrap cars with wrap vinyl however, and this stuff was definitely not wrap vinyl. Anywhere it touched the car, it was stuck, no squeegeeing air from under it, no pulling it back up without stretching, and once I tried spraying it...I knew there was no saving it.

I'd say it's poor vinyl and not installer friendly. There is some really good air release matte vinyl out there that wouldn't do this. Contact the eBay seller and see if ya'll can work something out.

 

[Dr. Decal]

I attempted this install all in one piece. I couldn’t split it because the pin stripe contour was solid all the way around.

Thanks Texas....I will message the seller and see if I can get anywhere.

Andy, that would be a great idea, unfortunately I pulled it off before he left the garage. That install money was gonna help pay a power bill, and I was frustrated and not thinking clearly.

Thanks everyone for your help, and constructive criticism. I will be an owner one day, no matter what Gino thinks about me

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I attempted this install all in one piece. I couldn’t split it because the pin stripe contour was solid all the way around.

Thanks Texas....I will message the seller and see if I can get anywhere.

Andy, that would be a great idea, unfortunately I pulled it off before he left the garage. That install money was gonna help pay a power bill, and I was frustrated and not thinking clearly.

Thanks everyone for your help, and constructive criticism. I will be an owner one day, no matter what Gino thinks about me

I'm glad you pulled it off. Leaving it sit there would make me worry about paint coming off when you DO remove it.